EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants program provides financial assistance to community-based organizations, and local and tribal governments working on projects to address environmental and public health concerns. EPA will award grants that support activities designed to empower and educate affected communities and to identify ways to address environmental and public health concerns at the local level. Approximately 40 one-year projects will be awarded at up to $30,000 each nationwide.

In an effort to increase outreach to affected communities, this year’s opportunity will place special emphasis on proposals in two areas: Underrepresented States and New Potential Grantees. All eligible organizations are encouraged to apply regardless of a project’s location in an underrepresented state and/or the applicant’s grant history with the EPA Environmental Justice grant program. The special emphasis described above only applies as an additional selection factor the program will consider.

Information related to the Request for Proposals (RFP) and the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program can be found on the EPA Environmental Justice website here. All proposals must be submitted through www.Grants.gov. You can find a direct link to the Opportunity Notice on Grants.gov here.

Support Schools in Your Community through the School Wellness Award

For the 10th year in a row, the School Wellness Award will be given to three Oregon schools. Supported by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), the Nutrition Council of Oregon, and the Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council, the awards recognize schools’ efforts in putting their school wellness policies into action and making the connection between nutrition, physical activity and academic achievement! A Blue Ribbon Panel, appointed by ODE, will review the applications and Deputy Superintendent Salam Noor will make the final selection of the three award winning schools. Winning schools will receive a $2500 check to enhance nutrition and physical activity at their school, a banner and a signed plaque in recognition of their achievement.

This award not only recognizes schools for their accomplishments, but winning schools also serve as models for other schools working to create healthier school environments. Click here for more information about the awards and to learn about past winners. To learn more about the School Wellness Awards or School Wellness Policies, visit the Wellness Policies and Practices website or contact Jennifer Young at (503) 947-5795 or jennifer.l.young@state.or.us.

SO Health-E is a cross-sector Regional Health Equity Coalition working to advance policy, systems, and environmental changes that promote equity and address social determinants of health. The Coalition Coordinator plays a vital role in driving SO Heath-E’s work in Jackson and Josephine Counties, providing day-to-day support and facilitation of Coalition efforts. The Coalition will meet regularly in each county via quarterly Community Assemblies, monthly Steering Committee Meetings, and Work Groups that focus on specific areas. The Coordinator will work closely with these groups, helping to achieve effective communication, engagement, and decision-making within and between groups. The Coordinator serves as chief capacity builder for health equity by identifying and cultivating asset-based and community-based leadership, fostering cross sector engagement, and helping focus work on systems improvement.

This position requires the capacity to facilitate and understand complex diversity and equity conversations. The ideal candidate will have the ability to build rapport with communities of color and other priority populations, and build strong relationships with diverse individuals and organizations. The ideal candidate will be committed to Collective Impact principles and have experience working with community-led initiatives.

This is a full time position with competitive salary and benefits. To apply send a cover letter and resume to hiring.committee@hccso.org.

Webinar: Creating Tobacco-Free Colleges and Universities with Inspiration from the Great American Smokeout

While more colleges and universities continue to go tobacco-free, some students in the United States are still able to use tobacco products on campus and expose other students to secondhand smoke. This live webinar co-hosted by ASTHO and NACCHO will feature speakers from the American Cancer Society, local health departments, and colleges and universities, and will explore how health departments and colleges can leverage their own resources and national events such as the upcoming 2016 Great American Smokeout to work towards smoke-free colleges and universities.

This free webinar is hosted by Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).

Due to interest, Knight Cancer Institute has added two additional information sessions in Portland and Oregon City about the Community Partnership Program. These interactive sessions will provide details about the program’s mission, grant application process, timelines, and resources available to all applicants and grantees.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute created the Community Partnership Program to support the development of sustainable collaborations with Oregon communities to address community-identified cancer needs. Grants fund projects anywhere along the cancer continuum from prevention through survivorship.

Webinar: The Role of Clinicians and Health Care Systems

Part of the 2016 webinar series, “Promoting Healthy Eating and Active Living through Partnerships and the National Prevention Strategy,” this webinar explores the roles clinicians and health systems play in reaching communities with chronic disease prevention efforts. This webinar is presented by Region VIII Federal Partners. Find the full schedule here.

CDC Foundation’s New Business Pulse Focuses on Reducing Tobacco Use

Business Pulse: Tobacco Use, launched today by the CDC Foundation, focuses on how employers can improve employee health by reducing tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. Business Pulse: Tobacco Use also features an interactive infographic with facts to help employers protect and promote the health of all workers and a link to online CDC resources.

Business Pulse is a quarterly online series created by the CDC Foundation that highlights the intersection of public health work and businesses. Each issue highlights a different part of CDC’s work, why and how it’s important to business leaders, and concrete action steps employers can take.

“Tobacco 21” Continues to Gain Ground

Washington, D.C., joins over 200 localities and two states that have raised the age of tobacco sales to 21. “Increasing the tobacco age to 21 will reduce tobacco use among youth and young adults – age groups when nearly all tobacco use begins and that are heavily targeted by the tobacco industry,” the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids states.

Article: Protection from Secondhand Smoke in Parks Still an Uphill Climb

Oregon Department of Transportation Awards $1.1 million to school “safe routes” programs

Eight applicants have been awarded funds that will help young students walk, bike and roll safely to and from school. The funds are specifically set aside for non-infrastructure investments, aimed at education and encouragement, and include things like teaching students safe practices, developing action plans around schools and more. Awardees and awards for 2017 – 2019 are the cities of Gresham, Hillsboro, and Portland; Clackamas and Jackson counties; Lane Transit District Point2Point; Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments; and Commute Options of Central Oregon.

Safe Routes to School Program goals are based on the “6 E’s” – Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Evaluation, Engineering and Equity. While this award program does not pay for engineering or infrastructure, the work it does support can lead to those kinds of investments, in partnership with local transportation agencies. For example, action plans involve activities such as identifying what barriers exist in the infrastructure surrounding schools. These plans also look at ways to increase the physical activity level of children while safely going to and from school. For more information about Safe Routes to School grants, visit the ODOT website here.

Article: Does Big Soda Employ Big Tobacco Tactics?

Call for Story Ideas: Translating Evidence into Action to Improve Population Health

The 2017 issue of Northwest Public Health, the magazine of the University of Washington School of Public Health, is seeking story ideas that show the inseparable ties between social determinants and population health outcomes, and identify the best practices for improving health at a population level.

Articles will explore how researchers, public health organizations, and communities are working together to develop and deploy evidence-informed strategies. Special emphasis will be placed on successful policies, reforms, systems, interventions, and innovations that improve population health. Example topic areas and populations include, but are not limited to: Social determinants like income and wealth, racism, and exposure to trauma; Impacts of health reform, including new models for health care delivery or payment; Environmental health, including climate change, lead, air pollution, and water quality; Mental and behavioral health, including drug use; Using data or technology to monitor health outcomes. Populations include: Mothers, Children, Communities of color, Older adults, Farmworkers, People experiencing homelessness or incarceration, Immigrants and refugees, LGBTQ communities, People with limited English, Tribal communities.

If your story idea is selected, one of our writers will contact you to develop the idea into an article for publication. We welcome story ideas on the topics mentioned above or any other areas related to improving population health. For more information and how to submit your story idea, visit the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice.